East Central University will host guest pianist Dr. Ji Sook Park for a concert on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 3 p.m. at the Ada Arts & Heritage Center.

The concert is free and open to the public.

Park currently serves as a visiting instructor of music and staff accompanist at Oklahoma Panhandle State University and previously spent some time as a staff accompanist for the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

The East Central University School of Fine Arts’ musical production of Once Upon a Mattress tells a version of this story through song, comedy, relationships and a bit of seriousness, according to Director Kurt Edwards.

Three performances of Once Upon a Mattress will take place on Feb. 14-16, at the Ataloa Theatre of the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center. Each performance begins at 7:30 p.m.

East Central University and the School of Business are pleased to announce that ECU will once again participate in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program this year.

VITA is a national program, supported by the Internal Revenue Service, which is designed to provide free tax assistance to individuals with basic tax returns, particularly those with low and fixed incomes.

Jeff Baird, who has crafted inventions for the energy, oil and gas and plumbing industries, will be honored as East Central University’s 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year and will deliver the Leonard Limes Endowed Lecture at noon Friday, Feb. 15, at the Stanley Wagner Ballroom in the Memorial Student Union.

Among Baird’s inventions is the no-clog, self-cleaning drain p-trap, called PermaFlow, in the plumbing industry and electromagnetic generator for the energy industry.

The Vision Bank Presidential Leadership Program at East Central University was awarded a $10,000 grant from AT&T on Friday in a ceremony attended by state and university leaders.

The Presidential Leadership Program, a comprehensive four-year program, is designed to develop extraordinary leaders. There are currently 65 students involved in the program and each year 15-20 incoming freshmen and six transfer students are invited to participate in the program.

East Central University's mission is to foster a learning environment in which students, faculty, staff, and communityinteract to educate students for life in a rapidly changing and culturally diverse society. Within its service area,East Central University provides leadership for economic development and cultural enhancement.